The Mission of the Nebraska State Council for the Social Studies
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Interested in Getting Published?
NSCSS is posting lesson plans, book reviews significant to social studies, and editorials from our members. If you are interested in seeing your work reflected on our website please send your contributions to nebraskasocialstudiescouncil@gmail.com ================ |
***** Special notice to educators in grades 4-8!*****
Social Studies continues to be a valuable discipline as we seek to equip our students with critical thinking skills. As such, the Nebraska ESU Coordinating Council (ESUCC) would like to invite you to take part in a statewide initiative that will pay 4th-8th grade teachers like you $800 to co-create lesson and unit plans for social studies that will be shared with other educators across Nebraska.
If you are interested, please go to the Elementary Social Studies page through the Teacher Resources tab. You'll find a complete description of the project and an opportunity to participate.
Social Studies continues to be a valuable discipline as we seek to equip our students with critical thinking skills. As such, the Nebraska ESU Coordinating Council (ESUCC) would like to invite you to take part in a statewide initiative that will pay 4th-8th grade teachers like you $800 to co-create lesson and unit plans for social studies that will be shared with other educators across Nebraska.
If you are interested, please go to the Elementary Social Studies page through the Teacher Resources tab. You'll find a complete description of the project and an opportunity to participate.
Author: National Council for the Social Studies
A Response to the Attacks on Social Studies Education
in State Legislatures and Local Boards of Education
A Current Events Response by National Council for the Social Studies
Social studies education is a topic of debate for national and state legislatures and local school boards this year. This debate has resulted in a number of bills being introduced in state legislatures concerning what should or should not be taught in the PK-12 social studies classroom. We are pleased to see citizens engaging in discussions surrounding citizenship, race, gender, equity, and other social studies topics. Yet we have become aware of the need to address misconceptions that have arisen surrounding what others have labeled as “divisive concepts” such as critical race theory (CRT).
Defining Important Concepts
Divisive concepts can be considered “a broad term for ideas about race and sex that challenge the dominant narrative of America’s founding and history” (National Coalition against Censorship, 2021). Critical Race Theory (CRT) originated in the 1970s from the grouping of legal writings from multiple scholars and academic disciplines. It is an academic framework centered on the idea that racism is systemic, and that racial inequality is woven into the legal and economic fabric of every aspect of American life (Crenshaw, 1988).
Typically, CRT is a framework learned in advanced graduate studies to help conduct academic research (Solórzano, 1998). Gloria Ladson-Billings, who brought CRT to educational research (1998), has acknowledged that critical race theory is not widely taught in PK-12 education, but is instead used to assist educational policy and curriculum (interview with Cornish, 2021).
CRT does not appear explicitly as a term in any state and district PK-12 social studies standards; and is not a foundation of the NCSS College, Career, and Civic Life (“C3”) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. Since critical race theory challenges the dominant narrative of America’s founding and history, it has been considered a “divisive concept” in these legislations.
What is at Stake?
Legislation introduced in 22 states (and passed in several states) seeks to ban the teaching of “divisive concepts” and CRT. (You can track legislation happening in your state here). However, critical race theory has been used by some as an argument to ban the teaching of such concepts as race, racism, white supremacy, equity, justice, and social-emotional learning, as well as to limit the teaching of content such as slavery, Black history, women’s suffrage, and civil rights. Efforts to ban these topics aim to eliminate any discussion of race or the historical roots of racism in our classrooms.
The accurate and truthful representation of historical events is necessary and beneficial for all students to learn. As the largest organized group of social studies educators in the world, NCSS does not support presenting non-factual or partial knowledge that will not allow students to engage in solid inquiries for making decisions and drawing conclusions. (Please see the previous NCSS current events response on teaching history here). For all students, the ability to learn about the experiences and viewpoints of people of color and America’s legacy of racism is critical to feeling connected and equally valued in a participatory society.
The Right to Academic Freedom
These restrictions impede students’ understanding of real-world issues that can be safely and effectively modeled in classrooms with trained professional educators hired by local school boards in each community. This trust in educators extends to the fact that every educator has the right to academic freedom. Social studies educators have a pivotal role in providing high quality learning for their students in the classroom and make decisions daily to provide current and factual content to students as events rapidly change every day. Attempts by politicians to discredit the professionalism of social studies educators and insert influence in classrooms are not in the best interests of our students and professionals in the classroom. Such attempts contradict and undermine the very professional code of ethics accepted by educators as their professional rights and responsibilities, and affirmed by the licensure requirements in their respective states.
Moving Forward
This upcoming school year will prove to be a difficult one as proposed and newly adopted bills become more prominent and misconceptions about social studies education continue to grow. We encourage educators to stay focused on standards-based, professional practices.
We encourage administrators at all levels, from Pre-Kindergarten through higher education, to support the academic freedom of their educators and researchers and to actively correct misinformation surrounding divisive concepts and CRT. We encourage the general public to listen to social studies professionals about these “divisive” topics and what is truly happening in PK-12 classrooms. Social studies education has been marginalized for years (and is often eradicated from elementary schools altogether), allowing for an increased potential for misinformation and confusion to spread.
NCSS will continue to provide support and high-quality social studies learning to all social studies educators, administrators, and professionals. We will continue to support academic freedom for educators to allow the best learning environment for students everywhere. We also support educators teaching about race, racism, and a more inclusive and honest history. It is important for all social studies educators to use their pedagogical knowledge, professional judgement, legal mandates, and classroom experience when teaching in the classroom. In the meantime, our Advocacy Toolkit is available for those who want to take action in their community to impact their state’s practices or laws.
Works Cited
Cornish, A. (2021, June 22). Academic who brought critical race theory to education says bills are misguided [Radio broadcast transcript of aninterview with Gloria Ladson-Billings]. NPR. www.npr.org/2021/06/22/1009182206/academic-who-brought-critical-race-theory-to-education-says-bills-are-misguided.
Crenshaw, K. W. (1988). Race, reform, and retrenchment: Transformation and legitimation in antidiscrimination law. Harvard Law Review, 101(7), 1331-1387.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 7-24.
National Coalition Against Censorship. (2021). Non-partisan coalition statement opposing “divisive concepts” legislation. Retrieved from https://ncac.org/news/divisive-concepts-statement-2021.
Solórzano, D. G. (1998). Critical race theory, race and gender microaggressions, and the experience of Chicana and Chicano scholars. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 121-136.
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A Response to the Attacks on Social Studies Education
in State Legislatures and Local Boards of Education
A Current Events Response by National Council for the Social Studies
Social studies education is a topic of debate for national and state legislatures and local school boards this year. This debate has resulted in a number of bills being introduced in state legislatures concerning what should or should not be taught in the PK-12 social studies classroom. We are pleased to see citizens engaging in discussions surrounding citizenship, race, gender, equity, and other social studies topics. Yet we have become aware of the need to address misconceptions that have arisen surrounding what others have labeled as “divisive concepts” such as critical race theory (CRT).
Defining Important Concepts
Divisive concepts can be considered “a broad term for ideas about race and sex that challenge the dominant narrative of America’s founding and history” (National Coalition against Censorship, 2021). Critical Race Theory (CRT) originated in the 1970s from the grouping of legal writings from multiple scholars and academic disciplines. It is an academic framework centered on the idea that racism is systemic, and that racial inequality is woven into the legal and economic fabric of every aspect of American life (Crenshaw, 1988).
Typically, CRT is a framework learned in advanced graduate studies to help conduct academic research (Solórzano, 1998). Gloria Ladson-Billings, who brought CRT to educational research (1998), has acknowledged that critical race theory is not widely taught in PK-12 education, but is instead used to assist educational policy and curriculum (interview with Cornish, 2021).
CRT does not appear explicitly as a term in any state and district PK-12 social studies standards; and is not a foundation of the NCSS College, Career, and Civic Life (“C3”) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. Since critical race theory challenges the dominant narrative of America’s founding and history, it has been considered a “divisive concept” in these legislations.
What is at Stake?
Legislation introduced in 22 states (and passed in several states) seeks to ban the teaching of “divisive concepts” and CRT. (You can track legislation happening in your state here). However, critical race theory has been used by some as an argument to ban the teaching of such concepts as race, racism, white supremacy, equity, justice, and social-emotional learning, as well as to limit the teaching of content such as slavery, Black history, women’s suffrage, and civil rights. Efforts to ban these topics aim to eliminate any discussion of race or the historical roots of racism in our classrooms.
The accurate and truthful representation of historical events is necessary and beneficial for all students to learn. As the largest organized group of social studies educators in the world, NCSS does not support presenting non-factual or partial knowledge that will not allow students to engage in solid inquiries for making decisions and drawing conclusions. (Please see the previous NCSS current events response on teaching history here). For all students, the ability to learn about the experiences and viewpoints of people of color and America’s legacy of racism is critical to feeling connected and equally valued in a participatory society.
The Right to Academic Freedom
These restrictions impede students’ understanding of real-world issues that can be safely and effectively modeled in classrooms with trained professional educators hired by local school boards in each community. This trust in educators extends to the fact that every educator has the right to academic freedom. Social studies educators have a pivotal role in providing high quality learning for their students in the classroom and make decisions daily to provide current and factual content to students as events rapidly change every day. Attempts by politicians to discredit the professionalism of social studies educators and insert influence in classrooms are not in the best interests of our students and professionals in the classroom. Such attempts contradict and undermine the very professional code of ethics accepted by educators as their professional rights and responsibilities, and affirmed by the licensure requirements in their respective states.
Moving Forward
This upcoming school year will prove to be a difficult one as proposed and newly adopted bills become more prominent and misconceptions about social studies education continue to grow. We encourage educators to stay focused on standards-based, professional practices.
We encourage administrators at all levels, from Pre-Kindergarten through higher education, to support the academic freedom of their educators and researchers and to actively correct misinformation surrounding divisive concepts and CRT. We encourage the general public to listen to social studies professionals about these “divisive” topics and what is truly happening in PK-12 classrooms. Social studies education has been marginalized for years (and is often eradicated from elementary schools altogether), allowing for an increased potential for misinformation and confusion to spread.
NCSS will continue to provide support and high-quality social studies learning to all social studies educators, administrators, and professionals. We will continue to support academic freedom for educators to allow the best learning environment for students everywhere. We also support educators teaching about race, racism, and a more inclusive and honest history. It is important for all social studies educators to use their pedagogical knowledge, professional judgement, legal mandates, and classroom experience when teaching in the classroom. In the meantime, our Advocacy Toolkit is available for those who want to take action in their community to impact their state’s practices or laws.
Works Cited
Cornish, A. (2021, June 22). Academic who brought critical race theory to education says bills are misguided [Radio broadcast transcript of aninterview with Gloria Ladson-Billings]. NPR. www.npr.org/2021/06/22/1009182206/academic-who-brought-critical-race-theory-to-education-says-bills-are-misguided.
Crenshaw, K. W. (1988). Race, reform, and retrenchment: Transformation and legitimation in antidiscrimination law. Harvard Law Review, 101(7), 1331-1387.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 7-24.
National Coalition Against Censorship. (2021). Non-partisan coalition statement opposing “divisive concepts” legislation. Retrieved from https://ncac.org/news/divisive-concepts-statement-2021.
Solórzano, D. G. (1998). Critical race theory, race and gender microaggressions, and the experience of Chicana and Chicano scholars. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 121-136.
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Visit our virtual conference at any time during this school year:
Visit our virtual conference at any time during this school year:
Our virtual conference this year is FREE and open to all who are interested. No password is necessary. Click the link below and view presentations beginning June 3. Sessions will run from 10-30 minutes. They will be available throughout the 2021-22 school year if you wish to revisit them.
https://sites.google.com/view/nebraskasocialstudiescouncil/home
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https://sites.google.com/view/nebraskasocialstudiescouncil/home
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The Nebraska Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services and other community partners created this guide around child and family well-being during these challenging times.
Please use and share this document!
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SIT/Frameworks
The Nebraska Department of Education has created two optional educational resources to help with the implementation of the 2019 Nebraska State Social Studies Standards. The first optional resource is the Social Studies Standards Instructional Tool (SIT) which is a spreadsheet containing open educational resources that accompany each K-12 state social studies standard and its indicators. The second optional resource is instructional frameworks that take the social studies standards and put them into the structure of a possible course. Frameworks have been created for 4th Grade Social Studies, 5th Grade US History, 6th Grade Social Studies (Social Studies I), 7th Grade Social Studies-with three possible approaches (Social Studies II), 8th Grade US History, High School Government, High School Economics, High School Geography-with two possible approaches, High School US History, and High School World History. The SIT, Frameworks and three videos explaining them (one elementary, one middle school and one high school) will be available on the NDE Social Studies website soon!
It is the goal of the resources to provide some assistance to social studies teachers as they work hard to teach in these uncertain times.
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The Nebraska Department of Education has created two optional educational resources to help with the implementation of the 2019 Nebraska State Social Studies Standards. The first optional resource is the Social Studies Standards Instructional Tool (SIT) which is a spreadsheet containing open educational resources that accompany each K-12 state social studies standard and its indicators. The second optional resource is instructional frameworks that take the social studies standards and put them into the structure of a possible course. Frameworks have been created for 4th Grade Social Studies, 5th Grade US History, 6th Grade Social Studies (Social Studies I), 7th Grade Social Studies-with three possible approaches (Social Studies II), 8th Grade US History, High School Government, High School Economics, High School Geography-with two possible approaches, High School US History, and High School World History. The SIT, Frameworks and three videos explaining them (one elementary, one middle school and one high school) will be available on the NDE Social Studies website soon!
It is the goal of the resources to provide some assistance to social studies teachers as they work hard to teach in these uncertain times.
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*****Go to the Annual Conference (Awards) page and the Archives to see some of Nebraska's outstanding social studies educators!*****
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Who represents you on the Nebraska State Board of Education?
Contact your Board member with comments and concerns.
Contact your Board member with comments and concerns.
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http://news.legislature.ne.gov/edu/
Education Committee of the Nebraska Legislature -
Sen. Lynne Walz, Chairperson
District 15
Room 1107
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2625
Email: lwalz@leg.ne.gov
http://news.legislature.ne.gov/edu/
Education Committee of the Nebraska Legislature -
Sen. Lynne Walz, Chairperson
District 15
Room 1107
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2625
Email: lwalz@leg.ne.gov
Committee Members
- Sen. Jen Day Email: jday@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Lou Ann Linehan Email: llinehan@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Terrell McKinney Email: tmckinney@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Adam Morfeld Email: amorfeld@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Dave Murman Email: dmurman@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks Email: ppansingbrooks@leg.ne.gov
- Sen. Rita Sanders Email: rsanders@leg.ne.gov
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Three times each week the National Council for the Social Studies sends out a brief update about what is happening in Social Studies classrooms around the country. Click the link below for a recent NCSS SmartBrief. To search the archives go to:
If you notice any problems with the functions of this NSCSS site, resources that are no longer available, bad links, etc. please contact us at nebraskasocialstudiescouncil@gmail.com
